Guard dogs and cuddling companions
by 666DarkestAngel666
Summary: Written for a prompt in the Dean-focused hurt/comfort comment-fic meme #6 Sam walks into the motel room and is surprised to find Dean fast asleep, and cuddling with a rather large dog on the bed with him. Sick!Dean.
1. Sick

**GUARD DOGS AND CUDDLING COMPANIONS**

**Disclaimer: Not mine, but I wouldn't mind keeping Dean.**

**Written for ****a prompt in the Dean-focused hurt/comfort comment-fic meme(#6)  
PROMPT- Sam walks into the motel room and is surprised to find Dean fast asleep, and cuddling with a rather large dog on the bed with him.  
Will either be 2 or 3 chapters.  
**

**CHAPTER ONE  
**

"Saaaaammmmmy. I'm... dying," Dean whined dramatically, pulling the covers up over his head.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Stop being melodramatic."

"Saaaaaaam. I'm... hut-_chooo_! Huh-_hitchsh_!" Dean sniffled, and wiped his sleeve across his red drippy nose.

"Will you use the tissue? That's what I left it there for," said Sam, standing beside the bed with his hands on his hips.

"I've r-run out." Dean looked up at his brother miserably, his green eyes glazed, his lips pouted.

Sam shook his head, and placed his hand on Dean's forehead. His brow furrowed worriedly when he felt the heat. "How are you feeling?"

Dean sucked in breath to answer, but immediately regretted it when it burned like fire, and set off a painful coughing fit. He moaned in pain, and curled up into a foetal position as he hacked his lungs out.

"Whoa." Sam sat on the edge of the bed, and rubbed his aching back soothingly, trying to help him through it. "Hey, I've got you."

When Dean finally stopped coughing, he moaned in pain, rubbing his chest as he tried to catch his breath. Looking up at Sam miserably, he tried to smile, but it came out more like a grimace.

After making sure Dean was okay, he got up to check to see if they had any more cough syrup. "Crap. We've ran out of that too," said Sam, going back to sit on the edge of the bed, his fingers stroking through Dean's sweaty hair. "Are you okay?"

Dean didn't answer, which worried Sam even more. Dean had been sick for at least a week, but still insisted on hunting until he spectacularly collapsed into a freshly dug grave three nights ago, face so pale he gave the ghost a run for his money. Sam had panicked, and ran over to him to see if he was okay, the only sign of life from his brother was the slight wheezing as he breathed. Leaving in the middle of the job, Sam had dragged his stubborn brother to the hospital where he was diagnosed with pneumonia and bronchitis.

"I'm going to the store and the pharmacy to pick up some more things. Are you going to be okay on your own for awhile?"

Dean closed his eyes, and nodded with a sniffle.

"Okay. Do you want anything in particular?"

"No," Dean croaked weakly, sounding like he had swallowed glass and gargled gravel.

Sam stood from the bed, and grabbed his wallet and the keys. "I'll be back soon. Text me if you need anything, alright?"

"Hmm."

Sam smiled and watched him for several seconds, before going outside to the waiting Impala.

* * *

Later, Sam came back into the room, armed with enough medication and painkillers, and other things that the pharmacist had recommended.

"What the-" He came to a stop at the door and stared open-mouthed at the scene in-front of him.

Laying fast asleep in his bed, was Dean, his face flushed, his hair stuck up in every direction, making snuffly, wheezy noises as he breathed through his congested nose. He was in his underwear, the covers thrown across the room. But that wasn't what Sam was staring at.

Bizarrely, Dean was cuddling with a huge black and golden German shepherd, holding him like a giant fluffy teddy bear. The dog, who was also asleep, was snuggled up to his side with his head on Dean's shoulder, almost as if it was keeping guard over the sick young hunter.

"Huh," said Sam, eyes wide in shock. "What the hell happened while I was out?"

Inching closer into the room, not taking his eyes off the strange, but adorable, scene before him, Sam placed the bags on the kitchen table and got out his phone to take a picture. It was just too cute not to.

Hearing or sensing something moving in the room, the dog opened his eyes, and growled when he saw Sam.

"Oh great! Trust Dean to be snuggling with Cujo," whispered Sam, hoping the dog didn't bite his brother's face off.

As he walked closer to the bed, the dog growled louder and inched closer to Dean. That's when Sam realised that the dog was protecting his brother. He raised his hands to show he meant no harm. "I'm his brother. I'm not here to hurt him."

The protective dog moved even closer to the defenseless, sleeping hunter, and continued growling savagely, his brown eyes blazing.

Dean sniffled and shifted in his sleep, his arms tightening slightly around his moving teddy bear, as he mumbled sleepily.

The dog's expression softened, and he lowered his head to lick Dean's flushed cheek, making him snuffle and lean into the soft wet nose on his face, sighing in relief. He jumped back startled when Dean suddenly jerked and started coughing.

The violent coughs woke Dean up, sending him from a peaceful doze to fully awake with one solid rattle and choke. He removed one hand from the dog's fur to place on his chest to ease the pain. When it was over, he opened his eyes and smiled at the German shepherd.

Sam watched, stunned, as the dog started licking Dean's face again, his tail wagging in excitement.

"Hey boy," Dean croaked with a weak smile, ruffling the fur. The smile dropped when the dog raised his head and started growling again. Confused, he looked over and saw Sam staring at him with wide eyes. "W-What?"

"What? Dean what the heck is that?" he asked, pointing at Dean's cuddling companion.

"I-It's... a dog."

"Thanks for that. I mean, who... what the hell is it?"

"Ozzy," Dean whispered, stroking the soft fur.

Sam blinked and stared at him. "Ozzy? Who's Ozzy?"

"The d-dog," he said as if it was obvious and Sam was slow. Sam continued staring at him, making him sigh. "Bl-Black Sabbath. Prince of darkness. Godfather of h-heavy metal. Crazy train."

"Okay, I think you need to climb aboard. Why is there a dog in your bed?"

"He's m-my new friend." Dean sniffled and ruffled the black and golden fur, trying to ignore the pain in his chest and back. "Ain't you Ozzy?"

The dog, Ozzy apparently, barked in agreement, his tongue lolling out, his tail wagging in excitement when Dean gave him attention. He whined and nudged Dean's hot clammy cheek when the hunter suddenly started having another coughing fit.

Sam grabbed the bag from the pharmacy and slowly inched closer to the bed, keeping a close eye on Ozzy. He froze when the dog barked at him, and then nudged Dean again, telling him to help the sick young man.

"I'm here," Sam soothed, sitting on the edge of the bed. As Dean hacked and wheezed, Sam used his free hand to rub his chest in soothing circles. "It's alright Dean, it's alright."

He had to smile when Ozzy snuggled closer to Dean, as if that would help stop the horrible noise his human friend was making.

Ozzy turned to Sam, huge puppy dog eyes out in full force as he continued whining. He shifted slightly and placed his paw on Dean's heaving chest beside Sam's hand, making his heart melt.

"Aw," said Sam, smiling at the dog, even as he tried to help his brother.

Finally, the coughing fit ended, leaving Dean weak and breathless, clutching at his chest, moaning in pain. "S-S-Son... bish."

Ozzy barked and lowered his head to try and lick Dean's face off with over enthusiastic kisses.

"G-Get off," laughed Dean, trying to move away from the dog's tongue. He moved his head away, but the German shepherd moved closer and continued his lick attack.

Sam didn't want to, but he started laughing at the cute scene. He could see the affection the two clearly had for each other, but he still didn't know where he came from.

Dean laughed until he suddenly had trouble catching his breath, so he gently shoved the dog away, and turned on his side, gasping and wheezing. He moaned in pain as his throat, chest and lungs seemed to be on fire. He struggled to tune everything out, including Ozzy, who was whining behind him, because he needed all his concentration focused on sucking in one painful breath after another, fighting against his lungs to take in air.

Sam jumped from the bed and grabbed the inhaler from the bedside table. He looked at Ozzy when he stood up on the bed and started howling. "It's okay, Dean. I'm here. You're going to be alright," he told him, holding it out. "Here."

"T-Thanks," wheezed Dean, taking the inhaler with a trembling hand. After taking two puffs, he closed his eyes and concentrated on breathing slowly in and out. He jumped in surprise when he felt a hand on his back, moving in soothing circles.

"Keep taking slow breaths, Dean. That's it."

Dean did what Sam told him until he got his breathing under control, and he no longer felt like he was suffocating. He jerked when he felt something wet nudge the back of his neck. Turning around carefully, he smiled at the German shepherd, who barked twice, before laying down beside him, whining mournfully, looking at Dean with a sad expression.

"Y-Yeah. I'm okay, Ozz. D-Don't worry," Dean told his friend, stroking the soft fur.

Ozzy whined again, and licked the flushed cheek once, before lowering his head to lay on Dean's shoulder, snuggling as close to him as he could.

Sam grabbed the bag from the pharmacy and took out the things he had bought. "Here. Take these," he said, taking out the recommended antibiotics and painkillers, and dropping them into Dean's hand.

After getting him a glass of water, he sat back on the bed, and helped sit Dean up against him to take them. "There we go. How are you feeling?"

Dean closed his eyes, and settled back against the pillows. "L-Like crap."

Ozzy made Sam smile when he moved his front leg so it laid across Dean's chest, looking as if he was hugging his sick friend. "Where did he come from?"

"I don't know," Dean whispered weakly, fingers stroking through the dog's fur. "I h-heard whining and... and a bang at the... d-door. When I opened it, t-there he was just s-sitting there, staring at... me."

"He must belong to someone. Has he got a collar?"

"No. C-Can you... get him some water?"

Sam nodded, and walked to the kitchen to fill a bowl of water, which he placed on the floor. "There you go, er... Ozzy."

Instead of getting up, the dog shifted closer to Dean. It was as if he was too scared to move.

"G-Go on, Ozz," whispered Dean, gently nudging him. "H-Have a drink."

Ozzy whined, and jumped off the bed to walk towards Sam cautiously, never taking his big brown eyes from the other man standing above him.

Sam frowned when he noticed the dog was quite skinny and he was limping slightly. "Hey, it's alright," he said, kneeling in-front of him with one hand outstretched. He blinked in surprise when the dog flinched and cowered under the kitchen table. "Hey Dean? I think this dog has been abused or something. He's scared to death and he's skinny."

Dean slowly sat up, and started to get out of bed. "I-Is he... alright?" he asked breathlessly.

"I don't know." Sam leaned closer, and reached out to gently stroke him. "Hey, it's alright. Nobody's going to hurt you."

Dean staggered to the small kitchen and knelt beside Sam. "Come on Ozzy. Y-You're safe... here." He smiled when Ozzy looked at Sam then back at Dean, and slowly came out from his hiding place and into Dean's waiting arms. "Shh. I-I've got you, Ozz."

Sam felt his heart melt when Dean wrapped his arms around him, and hugged the dog, who snuggled into his chest. He was glad the dog had found someone as caring and loving as Dean, he could tell Ozzy felt safe with him and trusted him. "He's got a scar on his leg," he whispered when he saw the healing cut.

Dean pulled away, and checked the leg. He apologised when he touched it, making the German shepherd yelp in pain. "S-Sorry," he whispered, blinking through the sudden dizziness as he checked the dog over to make sure he wasn't covered in them.

After checking him over, the brothers saw some healed scars, but none still needed medical attention. Dean and Sam shook their heads, their jaws clenched angrily. How could anyone do that to a dog?

"H-Here. Have some w-water," Dean told him, moving the bowl closer to him. He reached out and grabbed Sam's shoulder when he felt as if he was going to pass out.

"Whoa. Are you alright?" a worried Sam asked his brother when he saw he was even paler than he was earlier and he was blinking rapidly. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

"O-Ozzy needs... something t-to eat."

"I'll get him something from the kitchen. We need to get you laying down before you fall down. Come on," said Sam, wrapping his arms around his sick sibling, and slowly standing up.

Ozzy paused from lapping up the water, and looked up at the brothers.

"It's alright. I'll look after him," Sam told the dog in a gentle voice, before leading his brother back to bed.

**TBC**

**Hope you like**


	2. Ozzy

**CHAPTER TWO**

**I couldn't decide which season to set this, so I've decided to go AU from the S5 finale. So Lucifer is back in his cage, no apocalypse, and nobody died & went to hell (apart from Adam).  
**

**More sick!Dean with worried/protective!Ozzy and Sam.  
**

After Ozzy finished drinking the water, Sam cleaned the bowl out and opened the cupboards to see if they had anything for the dog to eat. He sighed when he saw they were almost empty, the only things they had were the soup he had bought for Dean.

Dean lifted his head from the pillows weakly, and looked over at his brother. "G-Give him... my pie."

Sam looked over at him in surprise. "You want me to give your pie away? Are you sure?"

"Yeah," whispered Dean, laying his head back against the pillows and closing his eyes. "He needs t-to eat something."

"Okay," said Sam, before turning to the dog, who was staring up at him. "He must really like you if he's sharing his pie with you, he never shares it with me." He smiled at Ozzy, and opened the fridge to grab Dean's slice of apple pie.

Without waiting to be told, Ozzy sat down and waited until Sam placed the bowl in-front of him.

Sam picked up a fork and cut the pie up into smaller pieces so it would be easier for Ozzy to eat. When he placed the bowl on the floor, Ozzy cautiously stepped forward, and sniffed the pie, before eating it hungrily.

Sam stood and watched the dog eat with a smile on his face. He noticed how the dog kept looking up at him, as if he was expecting to be hit just for eating something. "Hey, do you like that?" he asked, ruffling his fur, before going to check on his sick brother. "How are you feeling?"

"Hmm," Dean answered, opening his eyes, and looking up at Sam with a miserable expression.

"I know you feel like crap right now, but you'll be better soon."

"H-Hope... so," Dean said weakly, turning onto his side, and rubbing his chest.

"What are we going to do with him?"

Dean looked over at the dog, and was silent for several minutes, thinking. Finally, he came to a decision and said, "K-Keep him."

Sam's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Keep him? We can't take a dog hunting."

"Well, I'm not l-leaving him... with the sonofabitch that h-hurts him," Dean whispered weakly, glazed green eyes glistening. "We don't h-have to... take him h-hunting. We'll k-keep him with us until we h-have a hunt... then we'll take h-him to Bobby's for a couple of days."

Sam looked over and watched the dog eating the pie. Knowing Dean had always wanted a dog, and how attached the two were to each other, he didn't have the heart to separate them. "Okay. Since the world is no longer in danger of ending, we'll cut down on the hunting, so you can both spend more time together."

A weak smile crossed Dean's pale face as he closed his eyes.

"Why don't you get some rest? Me and Ozzy will be right here to take care of you."

Hearing his name, the German shepherd jumped onto the other side of the bed, and laid down by Dean's side. Licking the freckled nose once, he barked, then laid his head on his new friend's shoulder.

"See? He's looking after you already."

Dean smiled, and stroked his fingers through the fluffy fur on Ozzy's ear, which flopped down, showing how young the dog really was. He winced when he felt a cough build up in his already sore chest. "Sonofa-" He wheezed, just seconds before he started having yet another coughing fit.

He coughed into the crook of one arm as his whole body shook through the coughs. He could hear Sam talking to him in a soothing voice, and Ozzy whining, but he tried to tune them both out and concentrate on not choking to death. When the fit finally subsided, he collapsed back with a pained moan, throwing an arm over his eyes.

While Ozzy tried to help Dean by nudging his face with his wet nose, Sam got the cough syrup and poured some onto the spoon. "Here. Take this," he said, moving forward, and placing one arm under Dean's shoulders to sit him up against him to take the medicine.

"Ugh," moaned Dean, grimacing at the taste. "T-Tastes like ass."

Sam smiled, gently laying Dean back down in the bed, and adjusting the covers to keep his sick brother warm. "There we go," he whispered, brushing Dean's sweaty hair back from his hot forehead.

Dean winced in pain and misery, rubbing his eyes with his fists like a sleepy toddler. He sniffled, and held the warm body of the German shepherd close to his chest, closing his eyes.

"Get some sleep."

Dean mumbled sleepily, and tried to relax his aching body. "OW!" he yelped when Ozzy started squirming and wriggling to get comfortable, and accidentally hit Dean in the nose with his paw. He opened his eyes, and tried to glare at the dog, looking like a grumpy child. "W-Watch... it."

Ozzy whined, his brown eyes going big and round as he lowered his head and licked Dean's nose, and chin.

"It's al-alright Ozz," said Dean with a fond smile, patting his head, before snuggling closer to the dog, tangling his fingers in the thick black and golden fur. He closed his eyes with a sigh, and was asleep within seconds.

Ozzy nudged his clammy cheek once with his wet nose, before curling up by his side, and tucking his head under Dean's chin.

Sam watched Dean sleep for several minutes to make sure he was okay. He smiled when Dean seemed to be sleeping peacefully, his sleep occasionally interrupted by the rattle in his chest.

"Hey, can you look after Dean for me for awhile? I need to go to the store and get some dog food and stuff," Sam asked, feeling like a freak, having a conversation with a dog.

Ozzy seemed to understand, and barked once, his tail wagging in excitement at hearing the word 'food.'

"Thanks. I won't be too long." Sam walked over and ruffled the soft fur, before placing his hand on Dean's forehead. Feeling the heat still there, he walked over and wet one of the tea towels, before carefully putting it over Dean's forehead.

Ozzy tilted his head to one side, and nudged at the tea towel, making Sam laugh.

"It won't hurt him. It's to cool him down, he's too hot. Take good care of him for me, you hear me?" he said, walking out and leaving the two on their own.

* * *

When Sam came back, the first thing he did was check on Dean. He had to smile when he saw him on his back, spread out in the middle of the bed like a starfish, head lolling to the side, with a small trickle of drool seeping from a slightly open mouth, and Ozzy laying fast asleep beside him, also laying on his back with his legs in the air. They made quite an adorable sight.

Sam took another picture of them, and carried the bags to the small kitchen to unpack them. The only sound in the motel room was the wheezing and rattling as Dean breathed through his open mouth, his nose too congested to be able to breathe through it.

He unpacked quietly, so he didn't wake them. When he finished, he walked over to sit on the edge of Dean's bed to make sure he was okay. Checking the towel, he noticed it had dried out, so he took it to the kitchen to re-wet it.

"Shh. It's only me," he whispered when Dean flinched and moaned sleepily when the wet tea towel was gently placed back on his forehead. "It's okay. Get some more rest."

Dean mumbled some more, then settled back down.

Sam smiled fondly, and wiped the tea towel down Dean's flushed cheek. "I'll... We'll take care of you," he said, looking down at the sleeping dog.

* * *

An hour later, Dean sniffled and slowly woke up to see Sam smiling down at him.

"Hey sleepy head, how are you feeling?"

Rubbing his eyes, Dean looked down at the dog beside him, who was still fast asleep on his back, his mouth slightly open so it looked like he was grinning. He raised an eyebrow and looked at Sam. "This d-dog has... some weird-ass sleeping positions."

"Just like you. Apparently, dogs will only sleep on their backs when they feel comfortable and safe... and they trust you. I checked online while you were asleep."

A soft smile crossed Dean's pale face as he lowered his hand and stroked the exposed stomach. "You'll a-always be safe with m-me, Ozz," he whispered, sounding as if he had swallowed some razor blades.

Sam winced, and picked up the glass of water. "Here. Have a drink," he said, sliding one hand behind Dean's back and helping him up. He gave Dean the glass, and propped the pillows up behind him.

"Th-Thanks," Dean whispered, taking a few sips of the cold soothing water.

"Hungry? I can make you some soup, if you want," Sam offered, taking the half empty glass back. "You haven't eaten since yesterday morning."

Dean was about to say he wasn't hungry when his stomach rumbled loudly, making Ozzy growl in his sleep. "I-It's alright, Ozzy," he soothed with a smile, rubbing the dog's stomach again. When he settled, he turned to Sam and nodded. "Okay."

Ozzy twitched in his sleep, and his feet started moving, as if he was running or riding a bike.

"Awwww. S-Sammy, Sammy... look at him. Look. Awww."

Sam put the tin of soup on the counter, and turned to look at Ozzy. He had to laugh when he saw him, it was one of the cutest things he had ever seen in his life. "I guess he's dreaming."

Dean smiled over at Sam, before turning back to watch the dog sleep. He winced, and rubbed his chest when he felt a sharp pain in his chest. "O-Oh crap," he croaked, before launching into another coughing fit.

The sound was enough to wake Ozzy up. He went from fast asleep to wide awake and on his feet within seconds.

As he coughed, Dean could feel a hand rub over his back in soothing circles, and hear a voice in his ear, trying to soothe him.

"I've got you, Dean. I've got you, just try to breathe in slowly. That's it, now let it out."

Dean concentrated on what the voice was telling him, taking shallow breaths and letting them out slowly. Finally, the coughing stopped, leaving him gasping for breath and curled up on his side, one hand held to his chest, the other clenched in Ozzy's fur.

The German shepherd was whining, and nudging Sam away, so he could see to his sick friend. When Sam moved, Ozzy lowered his head, and used his cold wet tongue to lick at Dean's hot clammy face, making him sigh and lean into the dog.

"How are you feeling?" asked a worried Sam, fingers stroking through the sweaty hair.

Dean groaned in pain, and with Sam's help sat back up so he was resting against the pillow mountain. "Like c-crap."

Sam smiled sympathetically, and pulled the covers over him to keep him warm. "I know, but me and Ozzy will take care of you," he said, standing from the bed. "I'll go make that soup."

"Thanks S-Sammy," Dean whispered weakly, reaching out to stroke the dog, trying not to notice how he sometimes flinched when a hand came towards him. "Hey, you don't... ever have to go back to the b-bastard who... hurts you. I'll keep you safe and I'll n-never hurt you. Would you like that? Do you want to stay with... m-me?"

Ozzy barked excitedly, and started licking Dean all over again, making him laugh.

As Sam stirred the soup, he stood watching them both with a big smile on his face. He hadn't heard Dean laugh like that in a long time, he had almost forgotten what it sounded like.

"Alrighty then. Up high," he said, holding his hand up. He grinned in delight when Ozzy raised his paw and high-fived him. "Good boy."

A couple of minutes later, Sam put the bowl on a tray and carried it over to the bed, laying it gently on Dean's legs. "There we go. Do you need anything else?"

"No," he said, shaking his head as he picked up the spoon. "Did y-you get some food... for Ozz?"

"Yeah. It's... Damn, I left the dog bowls in the car," said Sam, walking over to open the door. He blinked in surprise when he saw it was now raining heavily, so he put on his black hoodie, pulling the hood up over his head. "I'll be back in a sec."

Ozzy was busy with Dean, so he didn't see Sam going out of the room. But as soon as he saw a hooded figure come back into the room, he jumped over Dean, and stood between him and the figure protectively, growling and snarling savagely, his teeth bared.

Dean dropped the spoon and stared at the dog. "Ozzy Johnathon Harley. Down," he commanded, trying to make his voice sound strong, even though it hurt.

Ozzy barked once, and obeyed the command, laying down by Dean's side, not taking his eyes from the man who could be a threat to his friend.

"It's S-Sam, you freak... Look," he said, pointing over at Sam, who had taken his hood down and was staring at the German shepherd with wide eyes.

The dog tilted his head to one side in question, but relaxed slightly when he saw who it was. He licked Dean's arm, looking up at him mournfully.

"Shh. I-It's alright Ozz," whispered the sick young man, ruffling the soft fur, before picking his spoon back up in a slightly trembling hand.

"Ozzy John Harley?" asked Sam, carrying the bag of dog food to the kitchen.

"Yeah. He needed... a real n-name."

Sam placed the new dog bowl on the floor, and filled it up with biscuits and meat. "John after dad?"

"H-He's named after three... dad, Ozzy Osbourne's f-first name... and J-John Bonham. And after Harley Davidson."

"It suits him. Hey Ozzy, food."

Ozzy barked once, and jumped down from the bed to walk over to the kitchen, just as cautiously as before.

Sam smiled down at him, and stroked him. "Nobody's going to hurt you. You're safe here." His heart melted when Ozzy nudged his leg and licked his jeans, before he started eating the dog food. He filled a second dog bowl up with water, and placed it on the floor beside Ozzy. "There you go."

After making sure the dog was okay, Sam walked over to sit on the edge of Dean's bed as he slowly sipped at his soup. "Can't believe anyone would want to hurt him," he said quietly, watching Ozzy, who kept looking over at Dean even as he ate his food.

"I know," whispered Dean, before taking another sip of the soup. "E-Even after everything I did in hell, I'd never hurt a dog. I swear... if I ever meet the guy..."

Sam looked back at his brother, and saw the angry expression on his ashen face. "Well, he's not going to hurt him anymore," he told him, patting his brother's hand.

* * *

After eventually finishing his soup, Dean settled back against the pillows and watched the western that was currently playing on the TV. He shifted slightly when he realised he was desperate for a wee. He groaned, and slowly sat up, blinking against the dizziness as he moved.

Sam came back into the room from letting Ozzy out, and rushed over when he saw his brother standing shakily by the bed. "What are you doing? You shouldn't be up and about."

"I-I need to take a leak... and unless I climb on O-Ozzy's back, and hitch a ride... I h-haven't got a choice. I can't aim fr-from in here, I'm not that good."

"Let me help you," said Sam, taking his arm.

"G-Get off." He shrugged Sam's hand off, and leaned against the wall to support himself. "I can go myself."

"But... But what if you get dizzy, or trip over?" said Sam, slightly panicked. "What if you slip and hit your head on the sink? You could get concussion... or die."

Dean raised one eyebrow and stared. "Wow. D-Dramatic much?"

"Can you blame me? When you fell into that grave..." Sam broke off as his eyes teared up. "I thought you were dead."

Dean wanted to say Sam was being ridiculous, but it wasn't every day your brother collapsed face-first into a grave. He opened his mouth to make a joke about the best place to drop dead would be an open grave, but Sam was freaked out enough. "S-Sam, I'm..." he started, but Sam wasn't done.

"You were so pale... even more than the ghost. I didn't think you were breathing until I got closer and I heard you wheezing. You scared the life out of me," he finished in a broken voice, a tear breaking free, and falling down his cheek.

Dean's expression softened. "H-How about... take Ozzy with m-me? He'll let you know if anything h-happens."

Sam bit his lip and thought about it, before nodding. "Okay. But sit down, so you don't pass out."

"Fine." He sighed, looking down at the dog, who was standing right by his side, as if he belonged there, staring up at him with his big brown eyes. "Come on O-Ozz," he whispered, slowly turning towards the bathroom with Ozzy beside him.

As Dean shuffled to the bathroom, holding onto the wall for support, Ozzy nudged his leg, and licked his fingers every few steps, making him smile and scratch at his ears.

Usually, it was owners who chose their dogs, but this dog chose his new owner. And even though the dog was just as damaged as he was, Dean was going to do his best to be the owner that Ozzy deserved.

**TBC**

**Hope you like  
**


	3. Recovery

**CHAPTER THREE**

**This chapter features a short appearance by Cas for HeavensDemonicAngel, and Ozzy looking after Dean after a nightmare for ADarkSummersNight.  
**

It was the middle of the night when Sam felt something jump onto his bed. He jerked in surprise and opened his eyes to see Ozzy standing above him.

"What?"

Ozzy was barking frantically, making Sam frown, and check the time to see it was past 4 o'clock. Only having two hours sleep, Sam was exhausted and his eyelids started to droop against his will.

He was almost asleep when Ozzy started barking again. "Will you be quiet? It's the middle of the night," he complained, glaring at Ozzy, before pulling the covers up and closing his eyes.

When he was ignored once again, Ozzy stepped forward to grab a mouthful of Sam's hair and tugged, making him yelp in pain.

"OW! Stop it."

Ozzy looked behind him at the bathroom door, and when Sam didn't get up as fast as he wanted him to, Ozzy dived on him, landing on his chest.

"WHOA! What the hell? Get off," said Sam, who was flattened to the bed, buried under the huge German shepherd. He looked up to see two brown eyes and a wet nose, as he was suddenly struck in the face. 'Great! I'm getting beat up by a German shepherd,' he thought, and then said, "Are you sure you're not the doggy version of Dean?"

Hearing his friend's name, Ozzy's head tilted to the side, and he barked again. He got up and grabbed a mouthful of Sam's t-shirt, and tugged on that instead of his hair.

Now fully awake and bolt upright in the bed, Sam finally realised that Ozzy wasn't trying to annoy him, but he was trying to get his attention. "Dean. What's wrong? Is he alright?" Looking over at his brother's bed, he saw it was empty and the covers were on the floor. "Where is he?"

Ozzy nudged his leg, and jumped from the bed. He looked up at Sam, and barked once more as he took off running into the bathroom.

Sam's blood ran cold as he jumped out of bed and ran after the dog. He skidded to a stop in the doorway when he saw his brother laying motionless on the floor, and his dog licking at his cheek.

"DEAN!" he yelled, rushing over to kneel beside his motionless brother. He placed his hand on Dean's sweaty forehead, and felt that he was still burning up. "Dean? Can you hear me? Come on, wake up."

Ozzy started whining and nudging at Dean's cheek with his nose. When he received no response but the laboured wheezing, he licked at his cheek once again, and turned to look up at Sam with his big brown eyes.

Sam's expression softened, and he reached over to stroke him. "You did a good job, boy. He's going to be alright." He turned back to Dean, and whispered into his ear, "You better be alright."

Placing his arms under Dean's shoulders and his knees, he lifted him into his arms to carry him back into the main room with Ozzy following faithfully behind.

"I've gotcha," he whispered, gently laying Dean down in his bed. Sitting beside him, Sam stroked his fingers through Dean's sweat-soaked hair gently. "Can you hear me?"

Sam frowned worriedly, and reached over to grab the cloth that he had placed in the bowl of water a couple of hours earlier, and started wiping it across Dean's face.

Ozzy joined them on the bed, and curled closer to Dean's side, whining softly as he tried to wake him up by nudging him again.

Remembering why he was so worried earlier, Sam ran one hand over Dean's body to make sure he didn't hurt himself when he fell.

"S-Sam? If you don't... stop to-touching me, I'm going to... kick you so hard in the j-jewels... you'll be able t-to use your balls as earrings."

Hearing Dean's weak, raspy voice, Sam sighed in relief and Ozzy barked twice, his tail wagging in his excitement.

"Sorry. Are you alright? I didn't mean to wake you up."

"Well, stop ge-getting up at the... ass-crack of dawn and f-feeling me up... you frigging perv," Dean rasped, his eyes slowly opening.

Sam smiled down at his brother when those glazed green eyes looked up at him. "How are you feeling? You scared the hell out of me."

"Wh-What happened?" he asked, his hand reaching up to stroke the soft ball of fur that was currently attacking his face with his tongue, trying to lick it off.

"Ozzy woke me up. At first I thought he was being a pain in the ass, since he's your dog and everything." He grinned when he saw Dean glaring at him. "But I realised that he wanted me to follow him, so I did... and there you were just laying there. God knows how long you would've been laying there if Ozzy wasn't here to wake me up."

Dean grinned weakly, and ruffled his dog's fur. "G-Good... boy."

Ozzy barked and laid his head against Dean's shoulder, laying as close to him as he could.

"I'm okay, Ozzy," Dean whispered, rubbing his aching chest.

"Why don't you try and get some more sleep? It's still too early to get up."

"'K-Kay."

"Hey, before you go back to sleep, you didn't get hurt, did you?" asked a worried Sam, running the cloth across Dean's flushed clammy cheek.

"No. J-Just felt... dizzy," Dean told him in a weak voice, wrapping one arm around his new dog, sniffling and moaning miserably.

Sam smiled sympathetically at him, plumping Dean's pillows. "It's okay. We'll take care of you."

While Dean slept, Ozzy and Sam watched over him and took care of the sick bed-ridden hunter.

****Two Days Later****

Dean was still sick, but didn't feel quite as bad as he had for the past week and a half.

Sam came in from taking a shower to see Dean resting against all his pillows with a notebook open, and Sam's laptop on his knees. "Er... Dean? You're not looking at anything... weird, are you?"

Dean looked over at his brother, a faint smile on his ashen face. "No."

"Okay. Care to give me a clue about what you're looking at?" asked Sam while he dressed. "Please tell me you're not looking for a hunt. You're still sick."

"I'm not looking for... a hu-hunt," whispered Dean, one hand stroking the dog that was still snuggled up to his side.

Sam shook his head, and walked over to sit on Dean's other side to see what Dean was doing. His eyebrows shot up in surprise when he saw the list he was making and the webpage he was currently looking at. "Dog supplies?"

"Yeah. Can you think of anything else?" asked Dean, rubbing at his chest again.

Sam picked up the notebook and saw _dog food, dog brush and flea comb, __dog shampoo, __grooming supplies, __training supplies, black leather spiked collar with leash. _

Looking up at the webpage, he saw the leather jackets for dogs, and stared at his brother. "Don't you think you're going a little overboard?"

Dean looked down at the dog and shrugged. "I've never had a d-dog before... I just want t-to make sure I take care of him properly."

"You're going to be the best dog owner in the world. I mean, if you can pretty much raise me while you were still a kid yourself, a dog is going to be no problem. Ozzy wouldn't have chosen you otherwise."

"Well, I can't be as bad as his... o-other owner."

"Dean, you'll be perfect. I know you'll be great at taking care of him," said Sam, looking at the dog, and seeing the adoration in his brown eyes as he looked up at Dean. "And so does he."

"T-Thanks Sammy."

"Don't mention it," he said, putting the notebook back on the bed. "I'll leave you to it, I need to go and stock up on dog food and get you a new inhaler from the pharmacy, you've nearly run out. Do you need anything else?"

Dean shook his head, and closed his eyes at the dizziness it caused. "I'll b-be fine."

"You better be. Text me if you need me." Sam picked up his wallet and keys, and nodded at the dog. "Look after him. I won't be too long," he said, leaving them alone.

Dean was so busy looking through the page, he didn't even notice a figure suddenly appear in the room until Ozzy growled softly and shifted closer to him.

"W-What's..." Dean trailed off when he looked up to see Castiel standing by the bed, staring down at him. "No. W-Whatever it is... I'm not doing it. Lucifer's l-locked up... the worlds not ending. No." He frowned when a thought occurred to him. "Wait. How did y-you know where we were?"

"I have my ways," the angel said mysteriously.

"Well, I'm n-not going anywhere with you... It's over."

"I heard you were unwell," said Castiel, looking down at Ozzy as if noticing him for the first time, tilting his head to the side in question.

Ozzy whined and mirrored the action, making Dean laugh.

"There appears to be a canine on the bed."

Dean smiled and ruffled the black and golden fur. "T-This is Ozzy."

"He's Australian?" asked a confused angel.

"Ozzy. N-Not Aussie, you freak. He's a German shepherd, not... a k-kangeroo."

"Oh. I am Castiel," he introduced himself to the dog, who came closer to sniff him.

Dean laid his head back against the pillows and watched the angel pat the dog on the head and say hello.

The dog barked three times, and Cas tilted his head again with a frown. "I am not here to harm him. I am a friend."

"Wait. You understood th-that?"

"Indeed. He is afraid of you coming to any harm. He cares very much about you."

Ozzy barked once more, and walked over to sit close to Dean's side, keeping an eye on Castiel.

"I-It's alright O-Ozz. He..." Dean closed his eyes when he felt a cough rise in his chest. He covered his mouth with one hand and started coughing violently.

Castiel looked worried and stepped closer to the bed. "Dean? Is there anything I can do?"

Instead of answering, he curled in on himself, burying his face in the pillow and clutching his arms to his chest, choking around whatever his lungs were trying to dislodge. His throat was burning, his chest aching as he tried to gesture at the bedside table.

Ozzy started nudging at his back, and looked over at Castiel, barking frantically.

"I cannot. I do not know the procedure to help somebody who is ill," he said, looking over at the bedside table at what Dean was gesturing at. "Do you need the tissue?"

Dean tried to say yes, but it sounded more like he was choking than talking. He tried once more, but talking made it worse, leaving him feeling as though thousands of razor blades were digging into the inside of his throat. Unable to talk, he nodded instead.

"Very well." The angel disappeared from where he was standing, only to reappear on the other side of the bed closest to the bedside table to pick up the tissue. "Here."

Dean took it with a trembling hand, and brought it up to his mouth. He coughed once more, spitting the yellowish, greenish glob of goo into the tissue. With a groan, he crumpled it up and dropped it into the bin by the bed.

Ozzy jumped over his sick friend's body, and landed on the other side of the bed where Dean was facing. He was whining, and trying to lick his clammy flushed cheek, but Dean was hiding his face in the crook of one arm.

When Dean recovered from his coughing fit, he grabbed the inhaler, and pushed the plunger twice, before laying back against the pillows exhausted. He picked the laptop up from the bed where it landed, and placed it on the bedside table.

"How are you-" Cas broke off, a worried expression on his face as he looked towards the ceiling. "I have to go. I am not supposed to be here. I hope you recover very soon, Dean," he said, before suddenly disappearing.

Ozzy was whining softly, and curled himself into Dean's side, tucking his head under his chin.

"I-I'm alright, Ozzy," Dean soothed in a weak voice, running his fingers through the soft fur. He wrapped his arms around the warm body, and closed his eyes.

By the time Sam came back, both Dean and the dog were sleeping peacefully, the only noise in the room was Dean's snuffling as he breathed.

****That Night****

Dean woke from a terrible nightmare, and shot up in the bed, breathing heavily, and wheezing slightly. His huge glazed green eyes darted around the room, and he sighed in relief when he saw he was in the motel room and not back in hell.

Ozzy made a whimpering noise, and lifted his head from the mattress where he landed after being flung to the bed after Dean's violent awakening.

Trying to catch his breath, Dean stroked the dog to sooth him, even though he was freaked out from the nightmare, which was the first he had in a long time. When Ozzy settled down, Dean grabbed the blanket and climbed out of bed, and headed out of the motel room quietly, so he didn't wake his dog or brother.

Struggling against tears, he stumbled over to his beloved car, and climbed into the front seat of the one place he always felt safe. He grabbed the bottle from his hiding place, and took a few sips.

He reached over to put some music on, since that was another thing that calmed him down. As Ozzy Osbourne played through the Impala, a smile crossed Dean's face when 'Dreamer' came on.

He hummed along to the song, trying to get his heart to stop racing. Shivering slightly, he pulled the blanket tighter around himself, and laid his head against the back of the drivers seat, softly singing along.

When the mixed 'Ozzy' tape switched to the next song, he listened with tear-filled eyes.

"..._All the things I put me through, I wouldn't wish my hell on you. You'll never know what's going on inside. Just another lonely broken hero, picking up the pieces of my mind. Running out of faith and hope and reason_..."

A sob ripped from his throat, and he brought the bottle up to his trembling lips to take another sip. He relaxed against the leather seat, his teary eyes staring up at the ceiling.

"..._Trouble always seems to find a way to live inside my mind, my haunted head and me remain alone. Underneath my masquerade, a simple man who's so afraid_. _I try to find a light to guide me home..._"

Dean wrapped his arms around himself, and whispered, "I'm al-already home." He clenched his teeth and his eyes tightly together, trying to block everything out especially the nightmares he still had but pretended he didn't.

Something suddenly jumped up at the window making him jerk in surprise and his eyes shoot open to see Ozzy at the window. With a frown, he leaned over and opened the door to let his dog jump into the car.

"How the h-hell... did you get out?"

Ozzy sat by Dean's side, snuggling up against him to comfort him in his own way.

Dean swallowed the lump in his throat. "You're an aw-awesome dog, Ozz," he whispered, his free hand clenched tightly into the fur. He gestured around the car with the hand holding the bottle, and said, "This i-is my baby... Home."

Ozzy nudged Dean's cheek and barked as if trying to tell him this was his home too.

He continued to drink as he listened to the song, until the next song came on, which was 'Crazy train'. "L-Love this... one."

Ozzy was looking around the car for the singing noise he could hear, an almost human expression of confusion on his face.

"It's on tape. T-This is Ozzy Osbourne. He's awesome... crazy, but awesome," he whispered with a tiny smile on his face. "T-That's why you're Ozzy too."

The German shepherd licked his flushed clammy cheek, sitting so close, he was almost on Dean's knee.

A sad expression crossed Dean's face as he looked down at the amazing dog by his side. "I don't know w-why you... chose me. You deserve so much b-better than me. I'm worthless. Sooner or later... everybody a-always leaves me. Everyone except... my baby," he whispered, one tear slipping down his cheek. "I-It's only a matter of time... before you think the same... and leave me too."

Ozzy whined, his large puppy dog eyes looking up at him as he laid his head against Dean's shoulder.

Dean wiped a trembling hand over his face and lowered his head so his cheek rested against Ozzy's fluffy head.

Back in the motel room, Sam was standing at the window, watching the heartbreaking scene in the car. He knew why Dean was out there, that he had another nightmare again, something that he always denied when Sam asked him about it. Knowing Dean would try to act normal around him, he sent Dean's new dog out instead, not wanting him to be out there alone while he was sick.

Sam had noticed a change in Dean in the past couple of days since he found Ozzy. He had smiled and laughed more than he had in the months since coming back from hell. And if the dog could make Dean happy, then Sam was glad they had found each other.

In the Impala, the hunter rocked from side to side, Ozzy in his arms as they listened to the music.

"Even after everything I d-did in hell, I would n-never raise a hand to you," Dean whispered a few songs later, his eyes still tightly closed. "You know that... r-right?"

Ozzy surprised Dean by climbing into his lap and jumping up so that his paws landed on Dean's shoulders. He licked his face and nuzzled against his cheek.

Dean wrapped his arms around the dog's body, his hands clenched into the fur. The two fell to the side, still holding each other, making Dean laugh. "S-See? Crazy."

After squirming and wiggling, the tall young man and his dog settled against the leather with the blanket wrapped around them both. So he fit along the seat, Dean adjusted himself so his feet were still on the floor, and his body was snuggled into the leather seat.

While he tried to get comfortable, he suddenly launched into another coughing fit that had him doubling over, curling further into the dog, who was making whimpering noises.

Dean finally stopped coughing a minute later, leaving him feeling tired and drained. A tiny smile crossed his face when 'So tired' came on next, and he closed his eyes, falling back to sleep with the warm body beside him seconds later. After making sure Dean was asleep, Ozzy licked away his tears, then laid his head on Dean's shoulder, closing his own eyes.

Sam walked out of the room and over to the car to cover them both up with a thicker blanket and turn the music off. "Sweet dreams, big brother."

He picked up the bottle, and stood watching them both sleep for several minutes, before closing the door as gently as he could, locking them in the Impala to keep them safe.

Dean had no more nightmares, and slept peacefully in his beloved car with his dog for the rest of the night.

* * *

****A Week Later****

* * *

The motel door opened and out came a recovered Dean with Sam, followed by a healthier looking Ozzy.

The German shepherd was now wearing a black leather spiked collar with three protective charms attached to it, and a dogs black leather jacket. He looked like a proud member of the Winchester family.

They were halfway across the parking lot when they heard an angry yell, which caused Ozzy to yelp and walk closer to Dean's side.

"Where the hell have you been, you mangy little fleabag mutt?" he yelled angrily, storming over to the brothers.

Hearing the voice, and feeling Ozzy trembling by his side, Dean froze in his tracks and slowly turned towards the angry man, his green eyes cold, his expression deadly. "You're his old owner?"

He ignored him, and reached out to grab the dog, but he was cowering behind Dean, shaking like a leaf. "Get here you little bastard."

"You don't talk to my dog like that," said Dean in a threatening tone.

"This is my dog. I've had him for over a year... his whole pathetic life," he told Dean, before turning his attention to the terrified German shepherd. "You better get back to our motel room before I go and get the baseball bat and beat you to death with it."

Dean clenched his jaw, and grabbed the guy's outstretched arm. "Try it."

He pulled his arm out of Dean's grasp, and said, "I'm not afraid of a little bitch like you," before grabbing hold of Dean's shirt and pulling him closer.

"Get the hell off me, you sonofabitch," said Dean, shoving him back, and curling his hands into fists.

The Winchesters looked down in surprise when they heard a growling behind them to see a furious Ozzy, his teeth bared, snarling and growling savagely as he came out of his hiding place, and advanced on the guy.

Dean raised his eyebrows, impressed. Even though Ozzy was scared to death of his old owner, he wouldn't let him hurt Dean, and was willing to protect him.

Instead of being intimidated by the furious dog, the guy grabbed hold of his new collar and dragged him towards him. "Wait until I get you home, I'll beat the living daylights out of you."

Ozzy struggled and fought back, biting the guy on the hand, making him bleed. When the guy gasped in surprise and let him go, Ozzy took his chance, and broke free. He was barking frantically as he ran back to the brothers and hid behind Dean, who was beyond furious right now.

Dean looked behind him at his car, and an idea came to him, an evil grin crossing his face as he grabbed the guy's wrist. "Let's talk about this," he said, and led him to the waiting Impala.

The guy must have been as stupid as he looked because he followed after Dean, and didn't try to break free from the vice-like grip on his wrist.

When they reached the car, Dean opened the door and shoved him forwards. "You're going to pay for hurting my dog," he warned, before grabbing his hands and placing them into the open doorway.

Finally, the guy realised that Dean didn't really want to talk, and tried to struggle, but the younger man was a lot stronger than he was, and he couldn't get free in time.

Dean's green eyes blazed angrily, his jaw clenched tightly, as he slammed the door. Two loud cracks and a pain-filled scream echoed around the otherwise deserted parking lot, followed by the deep laughter of the older Winchester.

Sam gasped, and was about to step forward, but he felt the dog trembling behind him, and stopped, feeling no sympathy for the guy who used to beat a loving, defenseless dog for no reason. He looked around to make sure nobody had turned into the parking lot to look for a place to stay. Luckily the lot was still empty, so he left his brother to it.

The guy was whimpering, and holding his shattered hands close to his chest, looking up into the furious green eyes of the hunter. He moaned in pain when Dean grabbed his shirt and pulled him close, so they were nose to nose.

"You even think of hurting _my _dog again, it'll be your damn neck I'll be breaking. Do you understand me?" he asked in a low menacing voice. "I've got a sledgehammer in the trunk, and I'm not afraid to use it."

The guy was now crying in pain, looking up at Dean fearfully, eyes wide in his sweaty pale face as he nodded frantically.

"Good." Dean smirked, and threw his head forward, breaking the guy's nose instantly.

He screamed in pain, trying to hold his bloodied nose, but his hands wouldn't cooperate. The only thing that was stopping the barely conscious man from collapsing onto the pavement was the grip that Dean had on his shirt.

"Stay away from my dog, or you'll be sorry," said Dean, punching him in the throat, before letting go of his shirt and watching him drop to the floor as if he was a puppet whose strings had been cut.

Dean's face was expressionless as he stared down at the whimpering broken man at his feet as he choked and coughed up blood, holding his shattered hands to his throat. He brought one leg up, and stamped down on the guy's ribs, breaking two of them, and making him gasp and try to curl in on himself, crying out in agony.

"If I ever see you again, I'll be introducing you to that sledgehammer," he warned, and nodded to his family. "Let's go Sammy. Come on Ozzy."

Sam shook himself out of his shock, and followed after Dean. None of the brothers saw Ozzy cautiously step forward and in-front of the man who used to beat him.

Dean opened the trunk and put his bag inside, but he stopped when he realised Ozzy wasn't beside him, and turned to see him sniffing at the heap on the ground. "Come on boy."

When the guy weakly reached out to the dog, he growled savagely, and lashed out with one paw across his face, leaving long, deep, bloody scratches down one cheek.

"Whoa. Go Ozz," whispered Dean with a proud smile. Ozzy had scars of his own at the hands of this man, now he returned the favour.

To add insult to injury, Ozzy cocked one leg in the air, and peed all over him, making Dean burst out laughing. "Did you..." He trailed off, grabbing Sam's shoulder as he doubled over in hysterics.

"Dude. That was frigging classic. We make an awesome team. Up high," said Dean, leaning forward and holding one hand up. He was trying to teach his dog that a raised hand was nothing to be scared of, by giving high-fives instead.

Ozzy walked over to him head held high, his tail wagging in excitement at the praise coming from his new master. When he reached Dean, he sat down, and held his paw up.

After the high-five, Dean ruffled the soft fur on his head, and opened the back door so Ozzy could jump into his car. "Come on, let's get out of here before somebody comes."

Sliding into the drivers seat, Dean ran his hand over the steering wheel lovingly. "Sorry baby. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Sam raised his eyebrows, and stared at him. Dean had just beaten the crap out of someone, and it was his car he apologised to for using her door to break someones hands. His brother was weird.

"Can we get out of here before the cops come or something?"

"Oh yeah. Sorry." Dean grinned at the new member of his family, and turned back to start his car, and head out of the parking lot and to Bobby's to spend a bit of time with their second dad.

When 'Ramble on' came on, Dean turned the volume up and sang along. The dog made the brothers laugh when he threw his head back and started howling along to the song.

As Dean drove, he kept looking back at Ozzy in the rearview mirror, the smile never leaving his face.

Sam smiled at his happy brother, his heart warming in his chest. Before the two had found each other, Dean had been struggling, and was so broken that he had almost given up since his return from hell, so it was nice to see him smiling like this. It had been too long since Dean had something to be happy about.

Dean and Ozzy both carried scars, had been through their own hells and survived. Now Dean and the newly christened Ozzy John Harley could help each other heal through their own pain and trauma, and take care of each other to recover together, because that's what family did.

***The End***

**Hope you like**


End file.
